Sunday, May 22, 2011

SAYING GOODBYE

This post will conclude my trip to beautiful North Carolina. I can't think of a better place to have taken a spring trip. I have raved about it in my last few posts, so I will just get on with the details of our last few days. As I mentioned. I met two bloggers in person and the gracious Penny, from Lake Lure Cottage invited us to brunch at their home on the lake. This is Penny putting the finishing touches on Mexican Benedict. It was delicious. She also served potatoes, a tropical fruit salad and apple bread. Penny is a fabulous cook and she and her husband David were such gracious hosts. Their home is warm and cozy and inviting, just as a lake home should be.
After we were sufficiently stuffed, we went for a pontoon ride on beautiful Lake Lure. This is a view from Penny and David's dock. Until my visit to Asheville, I had never seen mountains like these. They were absolutely breathtaking.
We were so lucky that the weather was mild. We cruised around and enjoyed refreshments and beautiful views. I took a ton of pictures, but I'll spare you. Can you see all the beauty?
The Husband made new friends...
...and after only our second day together, I got to know Penny and Penny even better. They are like old and special friends now. I'm going to miss them a lot.
The Husband took fly fishing lessons on Friday and as I was just getting used to the idea of spending the day alone, I got a call from Penny {from The Comforts Of Home} inviting me to an afternoon of lunch and shopping. What an angel she is. We ate outside at a restaurant called Bistro 1876.
Our sweet waitress took our picture.
We browsed a few shops. I couldn't really buy anything else since I had zero room left in my bags for the flight home. But I did find a few cute small things at The Mast General Store.
We ended the afternoon with coffee at a really neat place, a real double decker bus/coffee cafe. Isn't it the cat's meow? We sat outside and chatted away the afternoon. We had a great time and I will always treasure Penny as a good friend.

When I arrived back at the hotel, The Husband was already back from his fishing trip. Not only did he have the best time of his life, he caught a 24 inch brown trout and was named fisherman of the week at the shop. Whoo Hoo!

We came home yesterday. I almost didn't make it on the plane. Remember the little 'No Dumping' doggie garden stake that I bought? Well it was deemed a weapon, so rather then giving it up, I had it shipped home. I love that stake.

Well, I hope this post wasn't too long. We are back to Blondieville and the same old stuff. The weather is beautiful here and I hope to get to planting some flowers this week. And I have to clean up the wreckage of having 3 adult children home alone for a week. See you soon! :-)

87 comments:

BonjourRomance said...

Looks like a wonderful time with friends. The Mountains are stunning, and the Bistro looks fun. I've just gotten to know Penny from the Comforts of Home and she is such a lovely person.
Welcome home to Blondieville!
Mimi

LuLu Kellogg said...

I am thrilled you had a wonderful time! Welcome home sweet girl!!

Aren't Blogging gal pals just the best? What sweet girls you met. I leave for Dallas, TX a week from Wednesday and can't wait to meet some of my Blogging gals there are the art event I am attending. That is the most fun part of the trip for me...getting to meet my gal pals!

Love,
LuLu~*xoxo

Pondside said...

What a great time you three had! You're right - the scenery around the lake is lovely.

Unknown said...

This great nation has so many gorgeous breathtaking sights & places to visit ... you have seen one of them, Jane. So glad that you had such a delightful time. Meeting bloggy gal pals is the best ever ... so have enjoyed ours 'surprise' visits with many.

Enjoy being home ... where the heart is.

Have a beautiful day ~
TTFN ~
Marydon

shannon i olson said...

sounds like a great time, 24 fish! wow great job to your hubby.
Sorry about the garden stake. never know what can and cannot go on an airplane any more.

Lori E said...

They were just as privileged to meet you as you were them. Lucky bloggers all around.
You know I have heard of the armed assassins using no poop signs as weapons. You can't be too careful.

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

Lovely time was had by all!!!

You've never seen mountains like around that lake? We are near the foothills of the Adirondack Mts. so such views are not far away from us. :-)

Clean up the wreckage of 3 adult kids being home alone... Come on! You mean they didn't wait till the last possible hour, and clean it all up, at once? So you'd think they had kept it that way, all the time? "Auntie" sezzzzzzzzzz shame. ,-)

~♥~

Linda said...

Sounds like a perfectly AWESOME vacation! Welcome HOME!

Courtney ~ French Country Cottage said...

Hi Jane! Sounds like an absolutely fun time you had! I love that doggie stake you bought- how funny they would think it was a weapon! Aye... So much fun to gather with blog friends for a visit!

Susan EvelynAndRose said...

Looks like you had a great trip Jane! That is hysterical about the doggie stake not being allowed on the plane. How wonderful to be able to spend fun time with the Penny's. Blogland is so great when you get to meet like that in person!
- Susan

Brenda Pruitt said...

I am so glad you guys had such a terrific time! And meeting blogging buddies is just the best.
Brenda

Anonymous said...

what a wonderful trip,, its great having anticipated this trip then watch it come to be along with you.This blogging is so much fun I wish I started long ago,, I have come home to a house left run by my kids and most cases it was OK,, just a couple of times I wished I could run back out the door.Hope all was well when you got home,,, thanks for sharing this,,

Theresa said...

Welcome home dear Jane, sounds like the perfect getaway! I enjoyed seeing ALL of the pictures from your wonderful trip! The only thing missing from this trip is ME:)

Enjoy the rest of your weekend my friend! BIG HUGS!

Daydream Living said...

Hi Jane,
It was so nice to read the posts I have missed, you had some good times! It's always fun reading what you are up to, have a good start for the week, Maureen x

Robin@DecoratingTennisGirl said...

Jane,
Taylor and I took a Mother/Daughter trip to Asheville and we loved it. We went to the General Store, too :) Glad you had a great time and made new friends!

Pamela said...

Sounds like you had a wonderful time Jane!
Those photos of the lake and Mountains look exactly like here on Vancouver Island!! The weather seemed to be the same too!
That Bistrol looked like my kinda place for lunch!!

Pamela ox

Helen said...

What a wonderful post! Photos and stories are such fun .... maybe you need to see the mountains of Oregon ~ my daughter and grandkids are skiing today!

Linda @ A La Carte said...

I know you had a grand time. Lake Lure is so pretty and I would love a boat ride sometime myself. Glad you made it home!

Gloria said...

Hello! I enjoyed seeing your trip and I love Penny from Lake Lure Cottage, wish I could meet her too! It looks like you all had a great time. Thanks for sharing the photos.
Best,
Gloria

Stacey said...

Your trip looks like so much fun! I know the two Penny's have to be sweethearts. If you are ever in Oklahoma, give me a call. :)

Vicki said...

I've so enjoyed catching up on your posts and reading all about your trip! What a fun time with "The Penny's." Their view from the boat dock was amazing. Looks like the shopping and site seeing was wonderful too! Glad you are home safe.

petals and vintage said...

Sounds like a fabulous time away in such beautiful places. It's fun to meet up with blogging friends. They are always such lovely people.
Welcome home!
Pam x

Amy Chalmers said...

I enjoyed reading this post jane. so much fun to meet and connect with blogger friends I am sure. Glad you hubs had an equally great time too.

Lynne (lynnesgiftsfromtheheart) said...

What a great time you had. All you girls are beautiful. I'm sure the time flew by.
Yes, darling the night I finished the mulch job I turned the jets on settled back, and thought this is NOT going to work.. I would have fallen asleep in a New York second, had to get out..but slept like a baby once I got into bed. lol. Welcome home darling, I hope you're enjoying a super Sunday.
hugs ~lynne~

Lynn said...

Welcome home Jane! Sounds like you had a great vaca! Funny to hear about the sign, I guess you can't be too careful these days... Glad your weather is nice, maybe we'll get some of that in a couple days:@)

Melanie said...

Jane, I am so envious of your trip! Not only the beautiful area you were in, but all the shopping & dining at cool places, & getting to meet other bloggers in person! I'm glad you had such a good time & shared it with us.


~Melanie

xinex said...

What a fun trip you had, Janie. I am glad you arrived home safely. The pantoon ride looks so refreshing and nice and how nice that you got to spend lots of time with Penny and Penny.....Christine

GLENDA CHILDERS said...

What a wonderful treat to be able to meet blogging friends . . . and the site is so beautiful.

But it is never fun to come home to a mess:).

Fondly,
Glenda

FLOWERSHOPGURL said...

Nice to see you enjoy good times with new friends. Glad you had such a nice trip!
Hugz,
Kim

Jeanne Henriques said...

Looks like a fantastic time Jane. So much fun to meet other bloggers! Enjoy your time in Blondieville :)

Jeanne xx

Kathleen said...

I am glad you had a good time! It looks like fun!

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

What a wonderful time, how great to meet other bloggers.. and a pontoon ride on a lake!...

Lori said...

What a great trip you had Jane and getting to meet some blog buddies makes the trip that much sweeter! I cannot wait to see what else you brought home ~ enjoy your planting!

Debi said...

I am just thrilled that you had a wonderful time in our beautiful state. I know you're ready to be home. What a wonderful thing to meet up with some folks to show you some North Carolina treasures. Debi

Gypsy Heart said...

Such a great trip ~ I'm so glad you were able to do this! Meeting other bloggers had to be the frosting on the cake. :-) Great pictures and lots of memories...

xo
Pat

Shellbelle said...

What a FUN trip you both had! I love meeting blogging friends, so that was a real treat and then hubby getting named fisherman of the week is SO cool, I know he must have been thrilled.

I'm also glad you were able to get the poop stake sent home, I never would have thought of that, but I guess things are different now and this was a good lesson to learn for when I take my next plane trip. Thanks for that!!!

I've enjoyed reading these posts and learning more about NC, I have a friend who wants to go and this will help us plan better, but it won't be for a while yet.

Now you're back to reality — cleaning and gardening and I'm sure a lot more fun this summer!!!

Hugs

Julie@beingRUBY said...

Hi Jane
Looks like you had a wonderful trip.. and that lake looks so peaceful ...

Love the double decker bus.. reminds me of the ones we caught going to school as kids..

Have a great time.. ciao xxx Julie

Julie Marie said...

Hi Janie... oooh your trip looks so wonderful!... I'm glad the weather was nice and that you had such a good time... how fun to meet Penny and Penny! and I LOVE that your hubby was named Fisherman of the Week, too cute!... xoxo Julie Marie

Cindy (Applestone Cottage) said...

Hi Jane,
It sure looks like you had a fabulous trip my dear!
And Al looks like he had fun too and congrats to him on that big fish!
Isn't it amazing how lives change through blogging? Meeting new friends, sharing our lives, it certainly has been a good experience for so many of us!
Big Hugs and I look forward to our tget together too!
Cindy

Anonymous said...

Hi Jane! Oh, I'm so glad you've had such a wonderful time! You all look so cute!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Low Tide High Style said...

Jane, it's been so much fun going along on vacation with you in your last few posts! How wonderful that you got to meet up with the "Penny's," you girls all look fabulous and like you had such a nice time together! I've only been to Lake Lure once and we had a blast! And it sounds like your husband is quite the fly fisherman!! So glad you were able to ship back your garden stake.

Kat :)

Debbiedoos said...

Your trip truly sounded amazing Jane. I was so happy to hear about your husbands fishing trip too. That doggie stake you are talking about is adorable, I have seen them before..glad you shipped it.

The Summer Kitchen Girls said...

Oh Jane...so glad you had a blast! We LOVE that double decker bus...what a darling idea :)
Also laughing about the doggy sign...you dangerous weapon carrier you!!

Unknown said...

Oh how fun!! Great pictures!

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

I had so much fun reading this post and seeing that you had a great time! I LOVED getting to meet you an Alan in person and hope that you come back to Asheville again soon.

It is fun seeing your pictures and seeing Asheville through your eyes.

Congrats to Alan for the fishing award!!
xxoo
Penny

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

It all looked so wonderful, Jane...it's fun seeing my blogging friends in photo's..
I am so glad you had a wonderful time!
Mona

Maggie said...

What a wonderful time you must have had, making new friends is always a pleasure.
Imagine, a London Bus cafe in Asheville!
Glad you had fun, and congrats to your husband on being crowned fisherman of the week.

The Moerks said...

Sounds like you had a fab. time. Brown trout, very impressive catch!

Paula ~ castleandcottagesigns said...

Sounds like such a great trip Jane...congrats to your husband on his big catch!
I had to laugh...'the wreckage of 3 grown children home alone for a week' lol!
hugs,
paula:)

Penny said...

We had a wonderful time with all of you! Seems like we've known each other forever. Funny about the doggie stake but glad you didn't surrender it. Tell Alan Congrats on the fishing award. David should have gone with him and would have if he wasn't so busy preparing for his trip to Alaska.

Knitty said...

I am glad you had such a great time. I am happy that your title referred to saying goodbye to NC, not to all of us in blogland. A number of bloggers that I followed have stopped this past year for various reasons. I couldn't read yours fast enough (while holding my breath) to make sure you weren't signing off too!

Karena said...

Jane such beautiful images! The views on the water and being with family! The best!

xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena

Do Come and enter my Great Giveaway from Serena & Lily!

Olive said...

Jane, I am so thrilled you loved those mountains. I think of them as our family mountains cause my mom is from a small town there near Ashville. We have thought of buying a cabin up there but bought the yellow house instead but who knows I am drawn to those mountains and now you can see why. I am glad you had fun with the fellow bloggers. Welcome home and do not over do. hugs♥O

JudyBug said...

Looks like such a special time with new friends! We both love the Carolina's. For me, it is the mountains. Really enjoyed your post!

Beverly said...

I am so glad you enjoyed your trip. It sounds wonderful, and you were definitely in beautiful country. I had read about it on Penny's post, too.

I hope you'll join us for The Pink Birthday celebration this weekend.♥

SmilingSally said...

Hi Jane,

I've visited in Lake Lure on two occasions. It is a lovely place!

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for taking us along, Jane. I have thoroughly enjoyed your trip!

High Street Cottage said...

What a wonderful trip Jane. And you look terrific in your photos. xxx tami

Jacqueline said...

What a wonderful trip! How fun to be on the lake and enjoying the wonderful weather. I had to laugh at you bringing a weapon on the plane! What will they think of next?

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

Looks like such a great time! So nice you could get together with blog friends!

The Single Nester said...

What a sweet spot to relax. I so need a vacay :)

Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes said...

I just commented on Lake Lure last night, I never connected you and her until now! Like I said on Lake Lure's post, it looked like you had a fabulous time!

Mary

shabbyfufu said...

Hi Jane,

How wonderful that you got to meet some of your blog buddies and North Carolina is truly a beautiful state....have been many times!

xo,
Janet

Heaven's Walk said...

Hi Jane! It looks like you had the perfect vacation, girl! :) How fun to meet some fellow blogging buddies - and to be surrounded by such beauty! Those mountains are breathtaking! Thanks for taking us with you! :) Cute pic of you, too!

xoxo laurie

Kirsty Girl said...

Looks like a fun trip! The water looks magic!

Elaine said...

How nice to have made friends with fellow bloggers. That's so funny that your doggie stake was a weapon. That mountain view is gorgeous.

NanaDiana said...

Hi Jane- I am a little late posting, I know! It sounds like you had the perfect, perfect vacation! I loved it all-from the trip to the Biltmore (which I KNEW you would love) to lunch with the ladies, to your pontoon ride-to coffee in your double decker bus. I am so glad that the time was so enjoyable for you. Sometimes when we are looking forward to something so much it is disappointing and doesn't live up to what we were hoping for...it sounds like this was MORE than you expected! I love it! Hugs, girlfriend- xxoo Diana

Susan Freeman said...

What a wonderful trip! Glad you had fun.

Love,
Susan and Bentley
xxoo

The Charm of Home said...

Jane,
Your trip looks wonderful. What a beautiful surrounding at the lake and some great shopping districts don't hurt either!
Sherry

The Fajdich Times said...

What a wonderful trip you had. I enjoy visiting my sister in Cary, North Carolina. I know what you mean........it is so beautiful!! On one of my trips I had purchased a set of corn cob holders, that I just loved.....well at the airport they too were consitered weapons. I had to send them home. Enjoy your week:)

Sue said...

A weapon...seriously? I know it isn't funny because it was a pain for you to have to ship it...but, I'm trying to imagine that story on CNN! The mountains are so pretty and it seems as if you made lifelong friends. What a great trip for you and you got to come home to nice weather in Illinois for a change!!

Sharing with Sherri said...

Sounds like all of you had such a nice time! Great looking shops, restaurants and then boating on that gorgeous lake... Wow I wish I could of tagged along!

Have a nice week and holiday weekend too Jane!!
Hugs, Sherri:)

PAINTORDIG.blogspot.com said...

Looks like you had a wonderful vacation.It is always nice to meet fellow bloggers.

Ann said...

That looks like so much...
great time with friends in a wonderful place like that.

I can't believe I'm not a follower of your blog yet even though I've been here quite a few times. Now, I made sure to follow it before leaving.

Rettabug said...

What a nice trip you had, Jane! And your hair still looks GREAT!!!!
I've always wanted to visit the Biltmore & now you've convinced me we need to go. We've been to the area but nobody else wanted to take the tour with me.

I loved seeing all the fun places you went with Penny & Penny. LOL What fun!

I'll be planting flowers right along with you today. FINALLY some warm weather & no rain...for awhile, anyway.

Welcome home,
Rett

Decor To Adore said...

Oh that double decker is indeed the cat's meow!

I so love N. Carolina and am happy that you had such a lovely visit.

What a treat to meet two other lovely ladies.

Be blessed dear one.

Nancy said...

Hi Jane - I'm catching up! What a wonderful trip. The Biltmore was one of the most interesting places I've ever been and the area is just breathtaking. How fun to meet up with blogger friends. Sooo - are we heading to the Lake for Memorial Day? You know I love to go there!!! xoxo Nancy

Lynne said...

Hi Jane!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful journey! I have always wished to travel to the Carolinas.
It sounds like you and your hubby packed a lot of activities into one week! I hope this comment arrives, I have had problems since Monday!
~Lynne
[w/l]

Lynne said...

I just have to post once more!! Blogger worked! I'm back! Yahooo!
Take care,sweet Jane! Nightie Night!
~Lynne

La said...

What a wonderful trip, Jane. The Carolinas are so beautiful and they have provided our family with many wonderful memories. Unfortunately, I haven't experienced its beauty for several years.

Welcome home! I'm glad your area isn't experiencing all the volatile weather.

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

What a fun trip! We'll be back in NC soon...I'm a neighbor of Penny's! Love your beautiful photos! ♥

Curtains in My Tree said...

What a great trip

I can't wait for my next trip south

Sweet Cottage Dreams said...

You lucky girl to have met the two Penny's!!! You beauties had sooo much fun together - yeh!!!!! Someday I would love to be able to go back there. Gorgeous photos!

Moore Minutes said...

Wow! It all looks like an amazing trip, very charming. That bus shop is adorable! lol. I officially feel like a vacation now. <3

Unknown said...

Jane,
What a wonderful trip, and how much fun it must have been to connect to your blogging friends. I have been blogging with Penny from The comforts of home for so many years now. She is Penny.

You and your husband are such good friends to travel everywhere together.

Karen

Deborah said...

Sounds like such a fun time Jane!!
How great that you met a blogging friend!!
Glad you are enjoying your holidays!!

Deborah xoxo

Erin said...

You really did it up on trip to Asheville, Jane! I haven't been to Lake Lure in nearly 10 years, but it was a favorite spot to visit--and swim at--as a kid. And how great to meet some blogging friends!